Touch Trust In-Depth

This is the place for people who want to know more about Touch Trust In-Depth. You will find lots of further information, from collaboration works with other organisations, research, the history of Touch Trust to true stories about our guests.

Touch Trust's New York visitTouch Trust visited New York in February 2009 showcasing our work with Autism. Full Article available Here.

Touch Trust's Hong Kong visit

On the 6th November 2009, Touch Trust also visited Hong Kong. Article available Here.

An article was recently published in the magazine 'Llais', available both in English and Welsh, talking about Touch Trust and the impact it has on people's lives. Click the links to read : English and Welsh

Our programme

Although our programme appears to be all about having fun and connecting, we are working towards:

Emotional development – being praised, communicating, relaxing, expressing, enjoying, and making choices

Social development - recognising another, recognising being part of a group, communicating, connecting, taking part, taking turns, and being appreciated.

All this is done through an holistic sensory programme, carefully constructed on the one hand, but always with the Touch Trust mantra “where they are is right”. It seems fun, it seems easy, but it brings development, wellbeing and connection for the child and teaches the parent important skills of observation, assessment and adaptation, as well as some helpful ‘hooks’ they can use. It becomes a win/win situation.

You have a very special child, you are very special parent.

Our technically advanced community needs what you both bring, you are a life-line for a society in danger of living by superficial values. You share LOVE with us. Our society needs you both and can learn from you both. It needs what you have to bring. THANK YOU.

Babies and Pre School

“Babies learn about themselves and the world through the senses”Piaget, 1969

All babies develop through responding to external stimuli. They develop through these natural activities, but Scarr (1993) and other experts point out that the average environment is not enough for a child who has any special difficulties. They need additional sensory programmes .

This is where the Touch Trust can come in, bringing intense, enjoyable sensory experiences to the child in an hour’s programme. This is a positive experience for the parents who are so often exhausted and uncertain of what they should do for the best. All this is turned around by Touch Trust and parents leave us energised, relaxed and with more confidence and with ideas of what to do to help their child. A positive relationship builds up, and the parents gain skills to help the bonding in everyday life.

Our programme helps the parents express their love through touch and establish a good relationship early on. Parents tell us that their child was calmer, cried less, and slept better after their session.

Testimonial1 - South Wales Echo article in 2007 entitled:

“How Touch Trust Charity Helps Childten Like Lydia to Develop”

Lydia suffered a major haemorrhage at birth and the doctors said she would be in a vegetative state for the rest of her life. Her parents brought her to Touch Trust for our unique Touch Therapy program founded by Dilys Price OBE (pioneer in creative movement over three decades and with an international reputation.) Her staff began their program of intense sensory stimulation, including touch, within an environment of fun, happiness, connection and praise. Within weeks, there was an improvement in Lydia’s awareness.

Her mother said “she notices the lights, she recognises

voices, she has started to play percussion. And she is

happy. With profound and multiple disabilities, you

come away quite depressed from hospital visits.Touch

Trust is in total contrast to that. As well as the enjoyable

and happy visits to Touch Trust, we were given short

programs of fun and play - enjoyable to do. All this

helped us to connect, feel happy and celebrate our

diverse and unique child. We have never looked back.

We have a baby sister now for Katie and we are a

thriving and happy family. Dilys gave us hope.”

Testimonial 3

“Since being introduced to the Touch Trust and bringing our daughter to the movement and dance therapy we have seen a great improvement in her awareness and in her enjoyment.

Also I have met other parents and we have had fun, such a change from the depression I had felt, Touch Trust has given us hope. We were desperate when we first came here, we felt isolated and didn’t know where else to go. Now we concentrate so much on what she does and any improvement is colossal to us. We cant ignore that. We even have a programme specially for our daughter which gives us something positive to do when we are at home. We have gained confidence too as well as happines and fun.”

Please contact us if you are interested in a session.

The Perfect Compliment to ADHD Treatments

An article written by Claire Manton

Touch: The Perfect Compliment to ADHD Treatments

If your child has ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or another behavioural problem, you may find their behaviour challenging. Communication with an ASD child can be difficult, leading to frustrations for the child and his loved ones. Inability to express himself effectively can cause a child to ‘act out’ in anger and if he is non-verbal and caregivers don’t know what’s wrong, they can only guess how to help. Challenging behaviour may include excessive hand flapping, being physically aggressive (for example, kicking, biting or hitting a sibling), hair pulling, eating items that aren’t food (like chalk, mud or toilet paper – a phenomenon called pica) or screaming when in a different environment.

Everyday activities that families of neuro-typical children enjoy can become fraught with tension. Just getting out of the front door to go to the grocery store or doing the school run can become something of a military operation.

Treatments available on the NHS are limited and usually restricted to speech and language therapy, behavioural therapies and medication to modify the child’s behaviour patterns.

Treatments for Autism and ADHD

Speech and Language Therapy – This is a therapy that teaches children how to form speech sounds correctly, through the use of visual aids, games and toys to improve their communication skills

Applied Behavioural Analysis – This is giving positive recognition to children for good behaviour and discouraging challenging and negative behaviours, coupled with teaching life skills in small bite sized tasters, broken down into lots of single instructions, instead of combined multiple instructions.

Medication – Medication doesn’t actually treat autism or ADHD but it can modify behaviour, for instance, by decreasing violence in the child, decreasing repetitive habits or improving concentration skills. Drugs commonly in use are:

Anti-Depressants – known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). Anti-depressants like fluoxetine (brand name Prozac) and paroxetine (brand name Paxil) can be used to treat mood and obsessional disorders in children with ADHD and are prescribed by a physiatric consultant.

Side-Effects of ADHD Medication

The most common side-effects of ADHD drugs are insomnia and a reduction in appetite. Due to the stimulant effects of the majority of the drugs, some children are also given sedatives to help them sleep. He or she will also have to have regular check up’s with a doctor to monitor their weight and make sure they aren’t losing too much. Other side-effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, agitation, irritability, joint pain, itching and upset stomach. There are more severe unintended effects, such as severe liver injury and heart problems which could be fatal. Conversely, ADHD drugs can also cause the symptoms they are meant to prevent and can cause hyperactivity, trigger the development of Tourette’s Syndrome and result in mood changes, psychotic illness and suicidal ideation (thoughts of ending ones life).

As some of the stimulant medications are amphetamines or are structurally similar to amphetamines they can have addictive properties and are habit forming if they are taken over a long period of time. They are even used as substitutes for addicts withdrawing from ‘speed’. For this reason, some parents are reluctant to give them to their children or wish to only use them in the short term to prevent the addictive effects. If you are looking for a way to encourage your child’s healthy expression without resorting to medications or you feel the behavioural therapies aren’t having the desired effect, the Touch Trust may be able to help you.

How Touch Helps Children with Autism and ADHD

Touch, movement and dance techniques may help a child with autism, ADHD or other profound developmental or physical disabilities to express themselves, gain every- day life skills, decrease symptoms of disability and even give relief from physical pain. Once the child knows how to communicate and be understood more effectively and is not in the same distress or discomfort they were accustomed to, they may be happier in themselves and have greater self-confidence. Some of the methods used by Touch Trust include music, lights, colours, sounds and other multi-sensory activities combined with massage to promote well-being. The multi-sensory experience engages children without aggravating any existing processing disorder. The massage helps them to produce endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller and dance helps to improve coordination and other physical abilities and to connect to others through movement. To help release your child’s potential in a positive and structured environment, contact us to find your local Touch Trust workshop.